1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns passenger seats in an automobile. More particularly, the present invention concerns an adult passenger seat which can be easily adjusted to safely accommodate a child thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Child car seats are well known. The efficacy and necessity of these devices is such that many states require their mandatory usage for children under a certain age, usually three years.
One type of child car seat is the removable car seat. These devices are raised seat secured to a passenger seat in the rear portion of the passenger compartment of a car. The child is placed upon the seat and secured thereon by restraining straps, bars or other similar means. The seat is normally secured using the safety belts, thus anchoring the childseat.
Although effective, these seats suffer some notable drawbacks. Firstly, the seat may not be properly secured by the parent or other adult. This can result in the failure of the car seat to protect the child. Secondly, the seat, when not needed, must be removed and stored elsewhere. Apart from being an inconvenience, this situation leads to the temptation not to use the child seat. Also, the seat can be lost or otherwise unlocatable, and thus inaccessible, when needed. Thus, the child would be either prevented from traveling in the car or placed in a situation risking his or her safety.
A second type of car seat concerns those built into or otherwise formed as a part of the existing automobile seat. This type of seat is built such that a child can be seated safely in the automobile by folding downwardly or otherwise moving, a cross member associated with the seat over the child. Quite often this cross member serves a dual purpose, such as a head rest or the like.
One example of such built-in seat restraints is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,366 issued Oct. 28, 1980 to Ruda. Ruda teaches a passive child restraint which is built into the rear bench seat of an automobile. The U-shaped member is variously disposed around the child so that the child has both his/her lateral and forward movement restricted. The U-shaped restraint member may be rotated, lifted or pulled out into position around the child.
Another seat of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,422 issued Jul. 27, 1982 to Cunningham, and is entitled "RESTRAINT DEVICE". Cunningham teaches a child restraint device that alternatively serves as a headrest for an adult. The restraint device comprises a lastingly deformable rigid foam member having a convexo-concavo surface. The foam member is secured to the top portion of a seat back. When an infant is seated on the carseat, the foam member may be removed from the top of the seat and placed on the lap of the child. The foam member is then secured thereto by the car seat belt. The foam member is lowered into position via webs wound around and extendable from retractor wheels. When mounted atop the carseat, the foam member encompasses and hides the webs and retractor wheels.
Another known seat is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,443 issued May 12, 1987 to Casale for an "AUTOMOBILE CONVERTIBLE SEAT". The seat of Casale is built on the opposite side of an adult carseat deployed in the rearward part of the passenger compartment. The adult seat is rotated downwardly, by which action the infant is secured on the seat. Additionally, straps may be utilized to firmly secure the infant within the seat.
Still another seat is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,112 issued Jul. 24, 1990 to Law for a "CHILD'S COLLAPSIBLE CARSEAT". Law teaches a child's carseat which is built into an adult carseat. The seatback is pulled down and rested horizontally upon the lower portion of the seat. The seatback then forms the lower portion of the child seat. The headrest is then rotated forwardly and downwardly, securing the child therein. The back of the child carseat is defined by the newly exposed area which previously the lower portion had been secured.
It is to be appreciated from the preceding that none of the prior art built in seats is adaptable for a "bucket" seat. Likewise, each of the prior art "built-in" seat is difficult to re-assemble into its normal adult seat. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a carseat for that accommodates a child that is easily reassembled when the seat is needed by an adult. Further, these is a need for an adult/child built-in bucket carseat. It is to these needs that the present invention is directed.